


The Morning Routine

by Classical_Trash



Category: Mindhunter (TV 2017)
Genre: I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Just more character exploration, More characters to come, Post-Season/Series 01, holden-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-06 04:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21220760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Classical_Trash/pseuds/Classical_Trash
Summary: Holden hasn't been to work for over two weeks after his encounter with Kemper in Vacaville. This focuses on the morning he comes back, and what he does before he enters Quantico again.





	The Morning Routine

Holden woke up thinking that someone would be in his bed with him, but Debbie is a fragment of his past and he tries not to think about her anymore.

Already in a sullen mood, he gets out of bed. The white walls confine him, and the painting that used to be hung on the wall parallel to Holden’s bed is long gone. He got rid of it out of a need to change. A fresh new start, and it starts with a bleak, white wall.

He didn’t even like the painting. It was abstract and an eyesore. He wonders if the person who gave him the painting liked it or knew how much of an atrocity it was.

Holden doesn’t remember who gave him the atrocious painting. Maybe it was a past friend or a past lover? So many people have come and go but faces and names have been mismatched when he tries to think about it.

Heading straight to his living room, he turns on the TV. Holden half pays attention to whatever the news anchor is talking about, he just needed noise. A distraction or a replacement for the complete loneliness in his apartment.

The sound of the man on TV bounced around the apartment, and he heads into the bathroom to start his shower.

Usually, he would take longer showers. He would bask in the warm water and let him relax for a good 13 minutes. But the warm water that would let him unwind and ponder is gone. He called in someone to fix it, but they won’t be here until next week. Holden showers for 5 minutes and the cold water doesn't help his mood. He brushes his teeth and quickly steps out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist, and the stale air of his living room hits him.

In his closet mostly everything consists of button-up shirts and suits. He hasn’t gone out to get “normal” clothing since he was in college. Holden sees no point in buying anything that he will only wear for a day or so. He decides on his white button-up, blue and yellow striped tie, complete with his dark grey pants and coat. He hasn’t been in a suit for a while, and he feels comfortable in it. Glancing back into the little closet, he wonders if he should get some new clothes.

Holden then walks into his bathroom and the humid air sticks to him. He looks at himself in the slightly fogged up mirror.

He rubs his hands together and sighs. The sight in the mirror annoys him, but he leaves that thought alone.

Opening the drawer underneath his sink, he grabs the simple comb. Tiny in his hand, he carefully parts his hair.

Holden’s eyes trail down to his neck and he feels a looming presence surround him.

He touches his neck, to soothe the growing thoughts and memories of past discomfort and fear. Holden trails a finger around his Adam’s apple. His skin rises, making him shiver. He retreats his hand, landing it onto the cold marble top of his sink.

Holden doesn’t need this right now, so he turns on the faucet and splashes water on his face. Waking him up to the harsh lights, and the looming presence disappears along with the memories and thoughts.

He quickly looks back to the mirror and flashes a quick, forced smile and steps out of the bathroom.

His briefcase sits on the counter of his almost empty kitchen. Holden thinks about making a sandwich, but his stomach hasn’t been handling things that easily ever since his stay in the hospital. He’s fine though. Holden convinces himself that he doesn’t need to eat right now.

He grabs his briefcase and heads towards his apartment door. He puts on his shoes and walks closer to the door. Holden turns around to give his apartment one, quick glance.

_Lifeless, _Holden’s mind hums.

Maybe he should get a pet? A cat, or a little lizard perhaps? Would that even work? 

He keeps the thought tucked away for now, and Holden opens his door and leaves.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I just like writing Holden trying to get his shit together.  
Anyways, I'm going to immediately write the next and final chapter for this little fic. I think the next one is gonna be a bit longer than what I usually write...
> 
> What did you think? I'd like to know!  
Thanks for reading :)))


End file.
